Programs in Romance language and literature teach people the spoken and written traditions of all the languages that derive from Latin. Students learn how words begin and languages develop. They study the Romance languages and their dialects. Students also learn how to apply their knowledge to business and technology.

It's common for people to say that you can make anything sound good if you say it in French. Italian is often called the language of love, and Spanish has been said to be the language you should use when speaking to God. Besides French, Italian, and Spanish, Romance languages also include Portuguese, Romanian, Catalan, and Provencal.

In Romance language and literature programs, you learn all about the culture and subcultures of countries that speak a romance language. This usually includes France, Italy, Spain, and Portugal. You take courses from different fields of study, such as art, anthropology, and history. Most importantly, you learn to speak at least one Romance language. Most commonly this is French or Italian. You also learn how to read and write the language. Many courses also teach you translation techniques.

Of course, you read original literature and poetry as well as learn about music, film, and other cultural traditions. Romance classical writers include authors such as Flaubert ("Madame Bovary"), Dante ("Inferno"), and Cervantes ("Don Quixote"). Other cultural offerings include plays, music, and film. You can read about the troubadours of France, view the films of Fellini, and listen to Brazilian samba music. Most upper-level courses require you to read important works of literature in their original form.

About 75 colleges and universities offer bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees in Romance languages and literature. Most two-year colleges offer the first two years of study. Students can often transfer these credits to a four-year school. Master's degrees typically take five or six years of full-time study after high school. Doctoral degree programs typically take three to five years after the master's degree. Most people with graduate degrees become professors.

Students who major in Romance language and literature may be able to choose concentrations such as:

• Conversation
• Dialects
• Folklore
• Interpreting
• Linguistics
• Literature and Literary Criticism
• Specific Language Groups
• Teaching
• Translation